In general, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed below, a hinge device of this type includes a housing-side mounting member to be attached to a housing and a door-side mounting member to be attached to a door. A one end portion of a first link and a one end portion of a second link are rotatably connected to the housing-side mounting member. The other end portion of the first link and the other end portion of the second link are rotatably connected to the door-side mounting member. By this arrangement, the door-side mounting member is connected to the housing-side mounting member such that the door-side mounting member is rotatable between a closed position and an open position, thereby the door being rotatably supported by the housing via the hinge device.
A torsion coil spring is disposed between the door-side mounting member and the first link. The torsion coil spring rotatably biases the first link, causing the door to be rotated to the closed position and maintained at the closed position when the door is positioned between the closed position and an intermediate position away from the closed position by a predetermined angle toward the open position.
The hinge device further includes a rotary damper. The rotary damper includes a damper body having a receiving portion formed therein and a rotor rotatably disposed in the receiving portion of the damper body. The damper body is fixed to the housing-side mounting member. The rotor is connected to the first link via a gear mechanism. When the door-side mounting member fixed to the door is rotated, the rotor is rotated following the rotation of the door-side mounting member.
A damper mechanism is disposed between the damper body and the rotor. The damper mechanism controls a rotation speed of the rotor to be at a low speed when the door is rotated in a closing direction, thus preventing the door from hitting the housing at a high speed.